Just as the location of Tesla's planned Gigafactory is being announced, a new report casts doubt on whether the giant battery manufacturing plant will be able to achieve the company's aggressive cost-reduction goals for lithium ion cells. Click here for full-size image.(Image: Tesla)

Tesla has indicated that it expects the Gigafactory to reduce the per-kWh cost of its battery pack by more than 30% by the end of the first year of volume production of the company's planned mass market vehicle. According to Lux Research's Cosmin Laslau, however, based on likely sales in 2020 of less than half of Tesla's target of 500,000 vehicles, "the Gigafactory will only reduce the Tesla Model 3's cost by $2,800, not enough to sway the success of the planned lower-cost EV."

In product news this week, a battery analyzer from Fluke is capable of performing multiple tests at the same time. The BT521 can simultaneously capture voltage, resistance, and temperature on single cells of large batteries.

Linear Technology has introduced a 70 W triple-output step-down ÁModule regulator. Housed in a thermally efficient 15x15x5.01 mm BGA package with an integrated heat sink, the LTM4634 can deliver full rated current (5 A, 5 A, and 4 A) on all three of its outputs at 65░C with 200-LFM airflow.

Omron has announced a high-power DC relay aimed at renewable-energy applications. The G9EJ-1-E is capable of switching 400-V/15-A DC loads while drawing only 1.2 W.

A dual low-side driver from International Rectifier is automotive qualified. The AUIRB24427S provides an output in excess of 6 A per channel across -40░C to +125░C for SMPS applications in electric vehicles and high-power industrial converters.

Micrel has introduced ultra-compact camera flash LED drivers. The MIC2873 and MIC2874 each integrate a 1.2 A boost converter and LED driver circuit into a 9-pin, 1.3x1.3 mm chip-scale package; they switch at 2 and 4 MHz, respectively.

Wurth Electronics has announced two new wireless power transmitter coils. The 760308104113 (A13) single coil and the 760308104119 (A19) two-coil array comply with the Qi standard of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC).

Finally, RECOM is expanding its R-78 switching regulator family. The R-78W is a wired version of the R-78 regulator series and supports applications that use few or no printed circuit boards.

The Lux report looks more like opinion than a report. Why do they counter Tesla's sales goal of 500,000 cars for 2020? As I drive along about 1 in 5 cars looks to be either a hybrid or electric. It indicates a strong desire for an alternative to gas powered cars and Tesla introducing a low cost EV will be newsworthy.

Agree with prior comment. Negative view of report ignores that fact that there will be a shortage of LiIon batteries for EV's as Tesla ramps up, so just getting that volume of batteries is a strategic issue, and Nevada is close to some Li sources and also California customers.

Why would you think Tesla will ramp their production? They just opened a showroom in Vancouver, lots of peopel kicking the tires, noone buying...reason: $85,000 for base model, 20+ years return on your investment

This is long story. E-cars are selling. They all use batteries of one kind or another, whomever makes the best battery wins...and that battery may be very different from what is sold today. So we will see.

It depends what you mean by "selling"...it is still less than 1% of the global market for cars...I woudl not call it "selling" personally...I can buy gas powered Tesla equivalent car for $40k, why would I want to pay $85k?...I love nature, environment etc, in fact I bike or walk everywhere...still would not buy EV car